effect on Wales of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bil

rail infrastructure projects

S4C

decentralisation of power to local communities

the Department for Wales budget

Government support for the economy in Wales

Question Time in the Commons

Question Time takes place for an hour, Monday to Thursday, after prayers. Each government department answers questions according to a rota called the Order of Oral Questions. The questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the government department concerned.

Commons oral questions are tabled by MPs at least three days in advance of Question Time. The questions are then printed in the Commons Questions Book. The order in which the questions are asked is determined randomly by a computer.

MPs who are called by the Speaker to ask their question do not read it out, but simply call out its number. When the government minister has replied, the MP can ask another question (known as a supplementary) and other MPs may also be called to ask supplementary questions. The Minister must reply to each in turn.

Supplementary questions must be on the same subject as the original question.